Chocolate Orange Easter Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
2 oranges
150ml buttermilk
4 medium eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g self raising flour
50g cocoa powder
For the icing:
150g unsalted butter, softened
300g icing sugar
Mini chocolate eggs, to decorate
Finely grated orange zest and grated chocolate or cocoa powder, to decorate (optional)

Prep: 45 mins | Cook: 25-30 mins

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Method

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas 3. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 12-18 cases. This recipe will make 12 deep-filled cupcakes or 18 fairy cake sized cakes.

2. Scoop the butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and cream them together till they're pale and fluffy (using electric beaters will make this faster).

3. Finely grate the zest from the oranges into a separate mixing bowl and squeeze in the juice from 1 orange (keep the other for later). Pour in the buttermilk. Crack in the eggs and add the vanilla extract. Add a pinch of salt. Whisk together till combined.

4. Add half the egg and buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat together till combined. Add half the flour to the bowl and beat till combined. Add the remaining buttermilk mix and beat again. Tip in the remaining flour and add the cocoa powder. Use a flexible spatula to fold the flour, cocoa and batter together till smoothly combined.

5. Divide the batter between the cake cakes. Slide into the oven and bake for 25-30 mins till risen, firm and springy to the touch. Take out of the oven, transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

6. While the cakes cool, make the buttercream. Place the soft butter in a large mixing bowl and beat till smooth and creamy. Add half the icing sugar to the butter. Gently beat till combined. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat till you have a thick, smooth icing. Squeeze the juice from the remaining zested orange, then measure out 50ml and add to the buttercream icing. Beat to combine.

7. Use a palette knife to spread the buttercream over the cold cupcakes, or pipe on using a piping bag. Pop a couple of mini chocolate eggs on top of each cupcake to decorate. You can also sprinkle over a little finely grated orange zest and finely grated chocolate, or dust over a little cocoa powder to decorate. These cakes are best eaten on the day they're made, but they will keep in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.